Cutting block



`I'uly 14, 1931. F, H, ELLIS 1,814,136

CUTTING BLOCK Filed Aug. 20. 1929 I l@ Fig 5 F15 3 wmumwmwwmumlmm' l Il IM Mil/Mum* Wn Il "d, "um" www,

/M/E/VTU@ Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED srares Partnr orFicE FRANK H. ELLIS, OF.BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN'OR- 10 UNITED SHOE IMA- CHINERY CORPORATION, JERSEY 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW CUTTING Brock Application ledAugust 20, 1329. `Serial No. 387,188.

This invention relates to cutting blocks such as are used for cutting out blanks from sheet material, such as leather, by means of dies.

Cutting blocks of the type referred to are commonly built up of small rectangular wooden blocks glued together to form a unitary structure. Such cutting blocks are frequently subjected to great stresses during cutting operations and consequently it has been the practice to provide the blocks with reinforcing devices commonly in the form of clamping irons to strengthen the blocks better tolenable them to withstand such stresses, as well as to prevent distortion dueto expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes and moisture.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved reinforced cutting block which, without sacrificing any of the advantages of such blocks as heretofore constructed, will be still adapted to withstand the rough usage referred to as well as the effects of temperature changes and moisture. Viith this object in view and as illustrated, the invention provides a .cutting block having reinforcing members extending through the block sub-V stantially at right angles to each other, one of the reinforcing members extending through the other. Preferably and as shown, one of the reinforcing members is in the form' of a narrow metal plate the ends of which are illustrated as secured to clamping irons extending along the sides of the block. rEhe other reinforcing member preferably consists of a rod which, as illustrated, is held in place by plates at the ends of the block. This arrangement provides internal reinforcement both transversely and longitudinally of the block but, since one of the members passes through the other, the distance taken up by the members heightwise of the block is not greater than that of clamping irons heretcl tightly in position against forces which would tend to bulge the block laterally or end- Wise, particularly at the central portions of the sides and4 ends of the block. `Blocks constructed in this manner are capable of withstanding the pressures exerted by presser members of machines while operating upon heavy material such as thick sole leather or many plies of canvas. The reinforcing members serve to prevent the breaking down of the block due to expansion caused particularly by the forcing of the edges of dies between the iibers of the block'during cutting operations.

Other objects and features of the invention will be described in the following specification and will be setforth in the claims.

in the dra-wings,

F ig. l is a perspective view of a portion of a clicking machine with a cutting block positioned thereon, portions of the block being broken away to show the construction of the reinforcing members Fig. 2 illustrates a transverse cross-section through the cutting block; and v Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the cutting block.

For purposes of illustration the invention Y are glued together, the sections 16 being also glued together to form a unitary construction comprising the block 14.

The block is strengthened by means of clamping devices comprising end irons or plates 20 which are connected by bars 22.

The ends of the bars 22 are reduced to form vscrew-threaded portions 23 which extend through holes in the end irons 20, the bars 22 being placed under tension by nuts 26 on the ends of the bars. Each of the bars 22 is provided with a slot 27 extending substanseY tially the entire length of the bar. rlhese slots are adapted to receive the ends of bolts, such as bolts 28, located in bosses 30 on the bed 10. Similar bolts 32 at the end of the bed engage trie walls of holes 34 in the end irons 20. rl`he bolts 28 and 32 constitute holding devices which secure the block to the bed.

The novel means for reinforcing the block will now be described. rlhis means comprises a narrow metal plate 36, rectangular in crosssection, positioned in a groove 38 at the joint between two of the block sections 16. The plate 36 is provided with reduced screwthreaded ends 40 which extend through the slots 27 of the bais 22, the plate being placed under tension by nuts 42 which can be adjusted to force the bars` 22 against the sides of the block. Extending longitudinally through the block, the plate 3G and the end irons 2O is a reinforcing rod 44 held in position by nuts 46. The rod 44 passes through an elongated opening 48 in the plaie 36 which permits lateral adjustment of the plate relatively to the rod.

rl`he reinforcing plate 36 and the reinforcing rod 44 are both under tension and tend to draw the sides and ends of the cutting block together thus to prevent bulging of the block sections under heavy blows. ltshould be noted that the axes of the plate and rod are located in substantially the same plane with the result that the total thickness of these two members heightwise of the block is notgreater than the width of the plate which is less than that of the bar 22. Consequently, the block can be used until its thickness has been reduced approximately to the width of the bar 22, thus effecting economy in material.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure Patent of the United States is l. ln a cutting block, metal reinforcing members extending through the block substantially at right angles to each other, one of said members passing through another.

2. A cutting block comprising a, plurality of sections, a reinforcing plate extending liroiigh the block, and a reinforcing rod extending through the bloiclrv substantially at right angles to the plate and passing therethrough.

l 3. A cutting block comprising al plurality of block sections, a reinforcing member' extending transversely through the block, a second reinforcing member extending through the block and through the first-mentioned reinforcing member, and means for securing the reinforcing members in position.

4. Acutting block comprising a plurality of wooden block sections, a reinforcing plate extending transversely of the block along the Jioint between two of the sections, and a reinby Letters e forcing rod extending longitudinally of the block and passing through the plate.

5. A cutting block comprising a plurality of wooden block sections, a reinforcing member extending through the block in a transverse direction, a second reinforcing member extending through the block in a longitudinal direction and passing through the firstmentioned reinforcing member, and means for placing one of said reinforcing members under tension. Y

6. A cutting block comprising a plurality of wooden sections, clamping Vmembeis eX- tendiiig along the ends and sides of t-he block, and reinforcing members extending through the block substantially at right angles to each other in the same plane and'connected Ao the clamping members for counteracting the tendency of the block to bulge at the central portions of the sides and ends thereof.

7. A cutting block comprising a plurality of wooden sections, end plates, tension members extending along the sides of the block and connecting the end plates, a reinforcing plate extending transversely through thc block and having its ends secured to the tension members, and a reinforcing rod extending through the block and reinforcing plate and having its ends secured to the end plates.

8. A cutting block comprising a plurality of wooden block sections, end plates, bai's extending along the sides of the block c0- operable with the end plates for clamping together the block sections, the bars being provided with slots 'extending longitudinally' FRANK H. ELLIS. v

f ioo thereof, a reinforcing member comprising af l ios 

